MBFAAO 11: Team Up With Whom?

Early in the morning, a little past seven, the TV station’s program executive director hurried to the rehearsal hall.

Passing by the dance studio, his footsteps paused. Strange—there was the faint sound of music inside accompanied by the “thump-thump” sound of jumping footsteps on the wooden floor.

Last night, the contestants all practiced dancing until twelve o’clock. Each and every one was so tired their waists ached and their legs were weak. How could someone already be up at this time?

Looking intently through the half-open crack of the door, he was slightly startled.

Eh?! Are his eyes playing tricks on him? He stared blankly at the figure dancing lightly on the floor and rubbed his eyes.

That figure did a beautiful spinning turn, facing exactly towards the door. Upon seeing him at a glance, he stopped his dance steps.

The morning sun slanted in through the glass window of the dance studio, shining right on his bright and youthful face. His smooth forehead was covered in fine sweat, and his posture was upright and straight.

He smiled slightly and respectfully bowed. “Teacher Feng, morning.”

“Morning…” Director Feng was still in a daze when a burst of laughing and clamoring sounds came from behind him. The remaining eight or nine advancing contestants all crowded over from the corridor.

The original auditions were for everyone to perform on their own, and the program group didn’t have the time and energy to do coaching. It now had reached the heated stage of on-site scoring and on-site elimination, and the remaining contestants were all elites.

For better stage effects, the program group, starting from this stage, required all contestants to eat and live together, train collectively, and discuss their next episode’s performance program with the production team.

Even starting from now, the cameras would closely track some training scenes and life fragments to facilitate the program’s post-production editing needs.

After all, when popular contestants finally reached the top or when eliminated contestants left the stage, some daily VCRs¹In Chinese entertainment jargon (especially variety and reality TV), “VCR” doesn’t strictly refer to a videocassette recorder. It is used as a loanword to mean pre-recorded video clips, introductory videos, montages, or “B-roll” packages played during a live show. would be played. The hard usual training, the passionate brotherhood, the daily warm interactions, and the sentimentality at the final parting—all the fans love to watch them the most.

Ya Yilun ran at the very front. He was originally the best dancer among all the contestants, and as soon as he arrived here, he was full of energy. Meanwhile, at the very back, was the slow-moving Tongtong.

Exactly the opposite of Ya Yilun, Tongtong’s singing skills were top-notch. He liked singing quietly on stage the most, and his personality was extremely averse to moving around.

Ya Yilun spotted Cheng Yan coming out of the dance studio at a glance. He ran over and threw an arm around his shoulder. “Hey, why are you here? Didn’t you take a leave of absence to go out last night?”

He knew a bit of folk guitar. Last time, watching Cheng Yan play a song, he was immediately blown away, and immediately filled with a good impression of Cheng Yan.

Cheng Yan wiped his sweat. A string of sweat flowed down from his finely cut black hair, trickling into his small sword-like brow peaks. “Came back at twelve last night, so I didn’t go back to the dorms. It’s just right to get up early and stretch my legs.”

Behind the crowd, Zhou Yunying hurriedly caught up and stood quietly at the back.

Cheng Yan walked in the back, glanced over, and noticed his eye sockets were obviously bruised. His complexion was haggard. Looking closely again, his heart skipped a beat—below Zhou Yunying’s collarbone, there were several suspicious red hickeys.

Catching Cheng Yan’s gaze, Zhou Yunying’s face stiffened, and he swiftly pulled at his collar.

“Are you okay?” Cheng Yan frowned and asked softly.

Although Zhou Yunying’s age on his ID card was a few years older than himself, he was still only in his early twenties. For the reborn Cheng Yan, looking at him was just like looking at himself from more than ten years ago.

Zhou Yunying looked at him with a complex expression, as if wanting to see the same ravaged traces on his face, but was disappointed.

He pursed his lips and indifferently said, “Your stamina is quite good. Didn’t you also stay behind to accompany someone—aren’t you tired?”

Cheng Yan was startled, and softly said, “No, I came back at twelve.”

On the side, Tongtong had sharp ears. Hearing this, he glanced at the two of them in surprise, and a faint layer of disdain surfaced in his pretty eyes.

In the rehearsal room, there were several cameras for close-up tracking shots. The executive director was softly assigning camera positions.

“Later, during the tracking shots, cameras one and two will mainly track Tongtong and Ya Yilun.”

The several tracking cameramen nodded one after another. Suddenly, the executive director glanced at the venue, then pondered for a moment. “Camera three, pay more attention to that Cheng Yan. Ensure his tracking shots.”

The cameraman for camera three blanked for a second. Eh? Isn’t that the least favored contestant? The one who broke into the top ten relying on a guitar song, but whose singing and dancing are the worst?

However, taking another look at that youth, he vaguely guessed something. Being good-looking is just taking advantage—this exquisite and flawless face, no matter how you look at it, it’s just too suitable for the camera.

However, he really never got this kind of treatment before!

“Everyone, pay attention. Starting today, a brand new round of competition rules officially begins.” Director Feng stood seriously in front of all the contestants. “Everyone knows that the next round is a cruel ten-to-five, but this time, we will no longer simply do a ranking elimination.”

The ten contestants began to whisper amongst themselves, their hearts rising to their throats.

“The ten contestants will pair up, forming five pairs to perform collaboratively.” The chief director announced unhurriedly, “As for what to perform, you decide yourselves. The program group’s vocal, dance, and arrangement teachers will unconditionally help you.”

A contestant asked anxiously, “Do we draw lots to choose teammates?”

The chief director shook his head meaningfully. “No, you form teams yourselves.”

“Oh, oh, oh, that’s great!” Contestants who were on good terms had already started looking around, wanting to find their buddies.

However, the chief director’s next sentence poured a bucket of cold water²A common idiom meaning to dampen someone’s enthusiasm, dash their hopes, or kill the mood abruptly. over everyone.

“After all five groups’ performances undergo overall scoring together, the two contestants of the first-place group will both advance. For the last-place group, both contestants will be eliminated completely!” The chief director continued to announce relentlessly.

Cheng Yan listened quietly, but the contestants beside him all drew in a breath of cold air.

Ah, if the chosen teammate’s skill level is too poor and drags one’s own group down to get last place, they would then have to go home together!

“Director, there are still three spots left then. How will they be chosen?”

The director smiled. “Among the remaining three groups with middle scores, the two contestants in each group will receive on-site scoring, and the one with the lower score will be PK’d.”

The ten contestants thought about it slightly, and many people’s faces turned ugly.

This competition format looks simple, and fair, but the most treacherous part actually lies in the free teaming up!

That is to say, if you choose a teammate with a high skill level, there is a possibility of being eliminated in the intra-group PK, but if you choose someone whose skill level is worse than yours, the other person may not necessarily agree.

Just like Tongtong and Ya Yilun, who would be willing to team up with them? Isn’t this 100% being PK’d out by them?

However, if someone with a high skill level teams up with them, it is also highly possible to directly get first place and for both to advance?

Everyone was extremely conflicted—how were they supposed to choose? If one chooses someone whose strength is a bit worse than one’s own, will the other party feel that one wants to eliminate them?

Ya Yilun was still foolishly scratching his head. “Hey, director group, you guys are playing big³A colloquial way of saying “raising the stakes” or “pulling a huge stunt.” It implies the organizers are taking a big risk or making the rules extremely intense., hahaha!”

Xue Chubai, who was on good terms with him, rolled his eyes at him. “Shut up, I originally wanted to team up with you—you stay away from me now!”

He also belongs to those who are good at dancing, and usually has the tightest relationship with Ya Yilun. Ya Yilun finally reacted at this moment: Ah, it really is.

Originally, he wanted to do a singing and dancing hot dance with Xue Chubai, but in case they weren’t first place, he would have to directly PK with his best brother. This is too cruel!

Beside Tongtong, Lu Jin, who had a good relationship with him, was also worried. He poked Tongtong a bit. “Who do you want to choose?”

Tongtong unhurriedly raised his eyebrows. “Just the two of us are fine. If we get first place, wouldn’t that do?”

His tone was understated, carrying a domineering aura and confidence, as the camera beside them quietly filmed.

Lu Jin made up his mind. “Alright, we will be one group!”

He also had the proud achievement of fourth place in the last advancement match. Combining strong with strong with Tongtong, they should have a very big win rate. If they take first place, then both can advance!

One after another, two more groups successfully formed teams freely. The one who teamed up with Ya Yilun was ultimately still Xue Chubai. His comprehensive abilities were also not bad. The two of them were equally a strong-strong alliance, and inevitably went up against Tongtong’s group.

When everyone was chattering and looking for teammates everywhere, Cheng Yan stood all alone on the side. From beginning to end, not a single person came looking for him.

It was because the risk of teaming up with him is self-evident.

If the collaborative program’s effect is poor and gets last place, both people would be immediately eliminated together. No one dared to take such a risk!

Zhou Yunying pursed his lips, his eyes dodging. He said to Cheng Yan, “Xiao Cheng, sorry ah… I don’t want to PK with you, my fellow junior brother.”

Cheng Yan smiled slightly, and gently said, “I understand.”

He thought for a bit. He stood up for the first time today and walked towards the other side.

The only contestant in the venue who sang hip-hop was named Pan Yu, who was currently lowering his head in frustration. Just like Cheng Yan, he was also one that no one showed interest in.

Singing hip-hop is inherently very difficult to coordinate with others. Among the contestants who advanced to the top ten, he was the sole surviving rap contestant—others were all worried they wouldn’t mesh well with him.

“Hi.” By his ear, a hoarse and low voice sounded. “Do you want to team up with me?”

He raised his head in surprise, only to see Cheng Yan standing in front of him with a smile, his expression carrying a bit of playfulness. He turned his head and pointed behind him. “It seems there’s no choice left, right?”

Sure enough, the other eight contestants had finally finished teaming up, leaving only the two of them.

Pan Yu’s skin tone was slightly dark, belonging to that kind of healthy wheat color. His figure was also tall and sturdy, and his clothing carried a somewhat ruffian hip-hop style.

Since he was young, he followed his parents to the U.S.. Influenced by the pop music there, he intensely loved hip-hop. This time, he also traveled thousands of miles back to the country to participate in the competition.

He stared blankly at Cheng Yan. The two of them? … He was only good at hip hop, and this little brother didn’t know anything—he only knew classical guitar. How were they supposed to coordinate?!

Forget it, forget it, his ranking in the last match was only seventh place. Although there were also very many fans who liked him, he also had self-awareness. Hip-hop culture on this kind of survival show is almost very difficult to make it to the end.

If he loses, he loses. Using all his strength and dedicating his final all-out performance is enough!

“Alright, the two of us it is!” He stood up abruptly. “When the time comes, I’ll write a few lines for you that you can sing, so rest assured!”

The youth opposite him smiled, his lip shape like a tender water caltrop⁴A type of aquatic plant with a nut that has a very distinct, curved, horn-like shape. In Chinese literature, comparing a mouth or lips to a water caltrop is a classic way to describe lips that naturally curve upward beautifully at the corners., curving up into a good-looking arc.

“Okay, let’s do our best together.” His gaze was bright, as if he completely didn’t know that his voice was still hoarse and unpleasant to hear. “Strive to get first place, we’ll advance together.”

His voice was very low and not many people could hear it clearly. However, the camera silently tracking and filming beside them recorded this sentence without missing a single word.

Also, when he said these words, the slight flickering in his eyes of a radiance was as brilliant as starlight.

• 1
  In Chinese entertainment jargon (especially variety and reality TV), “VCR” doesn’t strictly refer to a videocassette recorder. It is used as a loanword to mean pre-recorded video clips, introductory videos, montages, or “B-roll” packages played during a live show.
• 2
  A common idiom meaning to dampen someone’s enthusiasm, dash their hopes, or kill the mood abruptly.
• 3
  A colloquial way of saying “raising the stakes” or “pulling a huge stunt.” It implies the organizers are taking a big risk or making the rules extremely intense.
• 4
  A type of aquatic plant with a nut that has a very distinct, curved, horn-like shape. In Chinese literature, comparing a mouth or lips to a water caltrop is a classic way to describe lips that naturally curve upward beautifully at the corners.